Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleeping?

DS is 5 months old as of 2 days ago and I am so stinking tired!!! Like really tired, I am bordering with depression and have a high anxiety level. I hate this. But I don't know any better, he wakes up... I stick the book in his mouth. And this happens 5-20 times a night.

I did this with my daughter and I was miserable but did it anyway. How do I stop? Should I? Did you?

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__________________
Mommy to Kane 10, Emily 3, Avery 3 months and wife to a AWESOME husband. We're a Cloth diapering, babywearing, extended breastfeeding, extended rear facing, non vaccinating, co sleeping, delaying solids family but most importantly a New testament Christian which means we speak where the bible speaks & are silent where the bible is silent.

I have been relatively happy with my cosleeping babies, but it sounds like you might be ready to try something else if you aren't happy. If I ever get sick and tired of cosleeping, or it stops working for my family, I would try the tricks from the "No Cry Sleep Solution" series. The author, Elizabeth Pantley, has a book for babies and a book toddlers, if I remember correctly. I got them out from the library once.

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

Our babies must be just 2 days apart! I can't co-sleep since DS would just nurse all night and I end up exhausted from the frequent wakings. Although I think this is just a hard age sleep-wise anyway - I am so ready for a long stretch of sleep.
Where does he sleep during the day? Does he take good naps? Could you use a co-sleeper or something so he could be nearby but not right against you?

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

I would definitely say that if you are resenting it, then you totally should let yourself make a change. I like the idea of the person above who said maybe to have him sleep nearby in a co-sleeper or something. Then you are still close and can hear him but hopefully won't have to nurse all night. Would he take a binky? My son didn't, then did, then didn't, so if you aren't opposed to them you might try that too, especially if you think he's just sucking for comfort and not food.

__________________ Mama to Lily 5/2010 and Joseph 7/2011 and Wife to Chris

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

my DD is 18 months and STILL does this. I do not regret it because she was sleeping through the night at 3 days old (she would root around just enough to wake me and I would latch her and fall back to sleep) so I have always felt I personally have gotten more sleep than other mama's out there. Even at 18 months with her still doing this I still feel rested in the mornings HOWEVER I started another thread because she still nurses all day like a newbie.. so that is starting to really wear me down. So no, do not regret but kind of wishing I had figured out a way to get her on some sort of schedule instead of using me as a pacifier 24/7.

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

It is a hard age sleep wise, and there is no guarantee that NOT giving in to the constant nursing would reduce night waking. But you can try a crib or something and see. Mine does the same, and still wakes up 4-6 times at 1 year, even though we've moved to her own room. However, for me, that was a blessing. DD1 wouldn't nurse, so I pumped every 4 hours around the clock for 4 months to give her milk. I would get up and pump, DH would give her a bottle. Compared to that cosleeping and all night nursing is restful!

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

It sounds like we are in the same postion you are but baby is now 11 months old. We have tried the crib, but he screams his head off until we get him. It's nuts *sigh*. He's the only one of our children we've co-slept with and if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't. But that's a totally personal preference. Plus I think it's my "over"use of the boob that created the problem. He cannot comfort himself any other way.

I'm a working mom who has to get up at 5am and cannot nap, so it takes a toll.

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

Quote:

Originally Posted by BESMama

It sounds like we are in the same postion you are but baby is now 11 months old. We have tried the crib, but he screams his head off until we get him. It's nuts *sigh*. He's the only one of our children we've co-slept with and if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't. But that's a totally personal preference. Plus I think it's my "over"use of the boob that created the problem. He cannot comfort himself any other way.

I'm a working mom who has to get up at 5am and cannot nap, so it takes a toll.

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

Yes, I do. I actually regret co-sleeping altogether It just didn't work for us, DS was up nursing all night long so it made it hard for him to not nurse when I was a work, hard to wean, and it made it hard to transition over to his own bed. With our baby otw, I'll just keep a co-sleeper next to our bed, bring the baby into the bed to nurse, and put the baby back. I have to have the baby near (plus, it's more convienient to nurse that way!) but having them right there really compromised my sleep (I'm an insomniac as it is) and my sanity. Weaning and sleeping was a huge battle for us.

Re: Anyone regret/change their mind about nursing their baby all night while co sleep

I don't regret it. Things have changed, periodically, and at the moment, LO is coming to bed to nurse during the night, but sleeps in a mini crib in our room. He is up 2-6 times a night and I *wish* we could co-bed. I get so much better sleep that way, but LO refuses at the moment. Some nights he will and its glorious.